Known in the art are systems for generating energy from sea waves based on the utilisation of the buoyant forces that act on a floating body anchored or ballasted on the seabed. The working travel the floating body effects under the action of the buoyant forces is used to obtain energy.
Such simple systems that harness energy by flotation nevertheless have the disadvantage that the travel used to harness power proportionally reduces the travel devoted to carrying out work. The capacity of the buoyant generators is therefore limited always by the dimensions of the floating body, wave height and wave frequency per minute.
Energy harnessing systems that make use of buoyant forces are clean and simple, but rather uncompetitive systems, if the necessary dimensions and the low harnessing of energy are taken into account. These are techniques in need of a substantial increase in energy harnessing and conversion if the installation is to be made profitable.
Also known are systems such as those described above which include at least one floating body ballasted or anchored onto the seabed, and means for conversion of the vertical movement of the floating body into pneumatic, electrical or hydraulic energy.
Such systems nevertheless have the disadvantage of harnessing and transforming only part of the natural forces contained in the waves, namely the forces due to thrust, also called buoyant forces.
Also known are systems for generating energy from sea waves which, instead of the buoyant forces, take advantage of the natural forces produced by the changes of water column brought about by the sea waves. Such systems nevertheless again have the disadvantage of only partially harnessing the energy contained in the sea waves.
Unknown as yet are systems for generating energy from sea waves which take advantage both of the buoyant forces and the natural forces produced by changes of water column occasioned by sea waves.